Itaewon

Itaewon

About
Itaewon is one of the most lively neighborhoods in Seoul, renowned for its trendy restaurants, cool bars, and lively nightlife scene. Both locals and travelers flock to the area, and for good reason. It's conveniently situated near the subway, making it an easy stop after visiting the nearby War Memorial during the day. Stroll around and check out the quirky shops, cafes, and adorable character shops, ideal for taking photos. In the evening, Itaewon transforms into a bustling hotspot for the city's party-goers. For a complete experience, be sure to hit all the best spots on a pub crawl of Seoul. – Tripadvisor
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The area

Neighborhood: Itaewon
Neighboring the immense Yongsan American Garrison, Itaewon was once shunned by locals as a seedy, red light district. But within the past few years, Itaewon and its surrounding neighborhoods such as Kyunglidan and Haebangchong have undergone a major revival to quickly become one of Seoul’s hottest areas. Here, trendy international restaurants dot the area alongside hip lounge bars and some of Seoul’s hottest club venues. After dark, Itaewon comes into its own as one of Seoul’s top party scenes. The crowd is a fascinating patchwork of all backgrounds and identities, including a small but thriving Muslim community (centered on Korea’s sole mosque), the LGBT community (with a string of popular bars and clubs), and a wide range of ethnicities and cultures scattered around. Those seeking a quiet respite should head towards the eastern end, in Hannam-dong, which not only has one of Korea’s best art museums, the Leeum Samsung Museum of Art, but plenty of mid-range to upscale restaurants and cafes.
How to get there
  • Itaewon • 1 min walk
  • Noksapyeong • 8 min walk
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

Popular mentions

4.0
4.0 of 5 bubbles605 reviews
Excellent
195
Very good
245
Average
127
Poor
29
Terrible
8

These reviews have been automatically translated from their original language.
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Sissi Silk
Clamart, France97 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Apr 2024 • Friends
Our accommodation was located in Itaewon for our two weeks in Seoul. In summary, it is an extremely young neighborhood with a street filled with only bars, restaurants, nightclubs, where all the young Seoulites meet every weekend, so it is extremely crowded and noisy. There are a few stores, on weekends you see a lot of young Seoulites shopping and having a coffee, that being said for the older generations I don't really find much interest there except to go and party without complexes. I recommend the high-end pastry shop Passion 5 where you can eat good quality pastries and above all buy baguettes as good as in France, of course you will have to pay the price!
Google
Written May 12, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Sightsee38459218078
2 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Feb 2023 • Solo
I want to ask you. I want to rent an apartment in the Itawan neighborhood at a price of 1000 per month. Is there an apartment for rent in the Itawan neighborhood at a price of 1000 per month? I want the answer. Please search.
Google
Written January 27, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Cyleen
Mandaluyong, Philippines175 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2022 • Friends
Itaewon is a popular neighborhood in Seoul, South Korea known for its multicultural atmosphere and vibrant nightlife. It has since become a popular destination for expats and foreigners. It's a must for foreigners to present their Passport as proof of identity before entering the bar.

Park Seo-joon, my forever favorite Korean Actor starred in the 2020 Korean drama series "Itaewon Class," which was based on a webtoon of the same name. The series tells the story of a young ex-convict who opens a bar-restaurant in Itaewon and seeks to take revenge against a powerful food conglomerate. The drama was a huge success both in South Korea and internationally and was praised for its diverse cast and themes of social justice.
Written April 9, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

travelsuit
Berlin, Germany335 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Oct 2023 • Couples
Interesting neighborhood with a mix of communities from Moslems to expats mostly Americans and a strong LGBTPLUS presence
Eclectic mix of architectural styles, the famous antique street and great coffee shops and eateries.

The only downside are the young Americans supposedly native English speakers. In many places where they gather all you hear is a wave of people repeating the word 'like like like' not just a filler word but they repeat it after every third word spoken. Drove me nuts!
Written October 20, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Heng
Singapore, Singapore5,181 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Dec 2022 • Family
Itaewon has a very cool and laid back vibe in the daytime. Streets are clean. Weather is good. We were enjoying a slow walk along the Main Street and alleys, shopping and chasing down scene from the drama itaewon class, when suddenly the air becomes somber. We realized we had stumbled into the alleys where the stampede occurred. Memorials were setup and monks are praying. Hope the affected families find peace soon.
Written July 16, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

MisterUserName
Atlanta, GA2,024 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Friends
Always fun to hangout and eat in Itaewon. Lots of good restaurants, bars, pubs, and street food.
I usually go there on Friday and Saturday nights. Went there on a Monday with a friend, it was a slow night. A lot of places were closed around 10 pm.
After bar hopping, nice to have eating options around 5 and 6 am, restaurants that are open all day.
Written October 4, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

成昇成田
Saitama, Japan5,759 contributions
3.0 of 5 bubbles
Aug 2024 • Family
Adjacent to the U.S. military base in Yongsan, I listened at night and went for a walk during the day. There were many uphill roads and I immediately moved others by taxi. Many of the shops were closed during the day, so it felt like a backstreet in Roppongi.
Automatically translated
Written August 11, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Abovetheclouds
2,489 contributions
4.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2022 • Solo
I agree with one of the previous reviewers. You will either love or hate it! I have a lot of time in Seoul and Korea so splitting my time. This area is about nightlife as this is when it comes alive. Busy and loud at night with foreigners and locals. You will also find here more than any other area, an array of International fast food from doner kebabs to Turkish restaurants and more. A lot of the area was trashy but it had a good vibe. If nightlife is what you want, come here. If you want a more authentic and upmarket area, go somewhere else.
Written June 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Francesco C
Terni, Italy329 contributions
2.0 of 5 bubbles
Jun 2024 • Couples
I had a little higher expectations about Itaewon, but maybe my enthusiasm was conditioned by the sad Halloween event.
The neighborhood is very different from the rest of Seoul neighborhoods, honestly it didn't even feel like Seoul.
We passed along the streets, full of clubs and nightlife, definitely fun for young people.
The rest of the neighborhood kind of reminded me of the Bronx in New York or some neighborhood in London.
I wouldn't go back honestly
Automatically translated
Written June 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

wagg87
Manly, Australia19 contributions
5.0 of 5 bubbles
Sep 2023 • Solo
Great place for bars, cafes and restaurants. Head over to the Korean war museum which is about a 10min walk, it's free. Lots of nice back alley streets , antique streets have a few nice coffee places.
Written September 12, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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Itaewon - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (2025)

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